In this issue: Inexpensive coats Riser blocks A detailed look at the kneeling position Thanks / riser blocks / ammo help **************************************************************** For the person looking for inexpensive coats. Have you looked at the Kurt Thune Club models. Excellent Thune quality and styling, not the typical bag shape and reasonable prices. They are avaialble in standard sizes or custom made to measure. Good shooting, Neal www.databahn.net/nealjguns **************************************************************** Bill Ernest at ESP, 23 Turnhill Lane, Levittown, PA 19054, tel: 215 943-2145 has an excellent selection of riser block for Anschutz and FWB 601/602. The Anschutz block come in 8mm & 11mm which are lower and higher than the Anschutz standard 10mm. The FWB riser blocks come in thin adapter, 8mm & 11mm which are also conversion block for replacing the FWB sights with Anschutz sights. The FWB blocks are now being used by the US Air Force Shooting Team with Anschutz sights on their FWB 601-602. Ernest also has excellent two step from sight blocks for prone shooters and higher scope sight block in a variety of heights for NRA Prone. ........................ Howard Harrison Harrison International Corporation hhzk24a@slip.net ***************************************************************** As a rule, the results of firing from the kneeling position will be as perfect and stable as the prone position. However, untrained athletes will find it very dificult at first in maintaining their position during training sessions and competitions. Aching occures in the arms, foot, leg, and buttocks which sometimes results in reduced concentration and less effective holding-aiming-firing sequences. Provided the position is constructed correctly, problems of this nature can be corrected during training sessions. If the kneeling position is balanced and the neurophysical systems is used by the non-dominant entity, the Quiet Zone(QZ~) will appear for a brief period before the end of the two second period. The QZ~ time period is normally 1/2 to 3/4 of a second long and then terminates. After a period of time the athlete will have to start the shooting sequence again as the QZ~ will not reoccure until the athlete has again restarted the shooting position. How can an athlete prepare for the kneeling position. Simple, take the kneeling position in front of the television without the weapon. While the athlete watches the TV program, the leg muscles will stretch and ease the discomfort to the athlete. About a week of this and the athlete will be ready for shooting the perfect bull's-eye in the kneeling position. Remember, the goal is to fire 60 one-shot matches resulting in the perfect bull's-eye in the kneeling position without a miss occuring. HEAD The head will be held straight up and down during the whole of the kneeling position. Always, as with the standing and prone positions, bring the weapon to the head and not the head to the weapon. The Head positioning is critical to all shooting positions reguardless of the type of weapon fired or what competition the athlete has entered. Why the QZ~ and what does it do for the shooter ? The QZ~ is a natural stablizing function of the human body. It generally operates at around 2000 actions a second in the maintenance of the body stability. We have the ability to slow this natural function down and stop it for the period of 1/2 to 3/4 of a second. During this period the body is totally disfunctioning and totally stablized. This 1/2 to 3/4 of a second the shooting position is so peacfully quiet that the shooter may think everything is locked in steel as no movement is occurring any where in the position. It is during this period that the shooter can fire the weapon and the bullet hit the perfect bull's-eye. The position during this 3/4 of a second the shooting position is the same as the prone position and as stable. SPINE The spine is slightly inclined forwards, so the full weight of the body rest exactly on the three-point position, "left-foot-right knee-right foot" and is totally balanced across the shooting position. The shoulders hang comfortable and loosely forwards while relaxed in their relationship with the backbone/spine, forming the shoulders at right angles of the spine/backbone. The backbone/spine must be relaxed and yet not hunched. It should be slightly bent without the muscles having to be flexed. This is important as the stability of the shooting position is dependednt upon the athletes construction of the perfect shooting position and achieving the perfect bull's-eye. The QZ~ appears as the lungs approach perfect ballance, air neither the desire to inhale or exhale. The weapon is perfectly sighted, lungs are in perfect ballance, the QZ~ arrives, trigger is pulled straight to the rear as the QZ~ occures. LEFT FOOT The left foot must be directly below the weapon and at an angle of 45 degrees to the direction of shooting. In this way, the position of the leg is at its most stable. Here, as in standing, the kneeling position rewuires a good pair of flat sole and ankle supporting shoes to wear during shooting. LEFT LEG The left leg must be straight and vertical, or depending upon body size, inclined slightly forwards below the weapon. The left leg from foot to knee is used as a support to hold the weapon. The position with its three points of foundation is in effect a tripod in support of the weapon. Upon the position being constructed correctly, the left leg, arm, and sling sould support the total of the weapon in the kneeling position. The right arm can be dropped and the position retain its full position integrity. With the head held upright the position should remain balanced and no movement noted. RIGHT FOOT The right foot must be straight, ot woth the heel slightly turned outward, and resting on the tip of its toe. The instep is supported by the kneeling roll, with the toe firmly pressing the ground and the heel pressing directly onto the bone os the right buttoct (bone-to-bone support). The sole of the shoe must be firm, as it is the only in this way that the body is supported at the ground point of contact, and the weight of the body has three effective and stable supporting points. As with the left foot, a pair of shooting boots or shoes must be worn for reinforcement of the shooting position. RIGHT LEG The position of the right leg in relation to the left leg should form an angle of about 70 to 80 degrees. This angle may be difficult for some athletes. If the angle of 80 degrees is exceeded, excessive weight is transfered to the front and onto the left leg. Each athlete must experment and find out which is the ideal abgle for the athlete in the shooting position. If the right and left legs are to close or come togeather the position will become very unstable and out of ballance. BUTTOCKS As already indicated, the bone-to-bone contact should resst on the heel of the right shooe. This makes a stable connection between the bone structure and the ground through the foot. LEFT ARM The left elbow is placed in the hollow between the kneecap and the femur. The left forarm and elbow rest on the the knee joint. The weight of the weapon is therefore transmitted directly through the stable lower leg to the floor or ground. LEFT HAND The weapon stock rest on the ball of the thumb. The fingers are completely relaxed and do not touch the stock. All flexing of the hand muscles is to be avoided, as it can affect the steadiness of the position. RIGHT ARM/SHOULDER It is the right arm and therefore the right hand that has the ultimate responsibility for firing and also for ensuring a proper shoulder contact. The shoulder contact must be made without muscles being flexed. The necessary pressure on shoulder is brought about by the weight of the completely relaxed right arm; the right hand holds securely onto the front of the pistol grip stock with the two middle fingers. The majority of the mistakes occur in the kneeling position because the shoulders are too high and in a cramp position. The reason for this is to be found in shoulder position adjustment during the construction of the shooting position. After the position is totally constructed and the natural point of aim is found, the right arm may be dropped and the shooting position will remain ballanced and ballanced. This test will assure the shooter of the position correctness and soundness. RIGHT HAND The thumb of the right hand, without pressure being applied, rest on the rifle stock. The index finger is on the trigger, has no contact with the stock. The rifle is only drawn into the shoulder by the middle two fingers. The right wrist is extended and acts as a direct extention of the lower arm. The hand grasps the frip of the stock and the trigger finger pulls directly backwards. As in the other positions, the two inner fingers are pulled against the grip ro form or lock the wrist during the firing sequences. WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION OF BODY The weight of the body and the weapon is distributed evenly between the three bearing points "left foot-right knee-right foot tip or instep with roll". As a result of the space between these points, the main weight lies within the triangle. In this way, the position has maximum stability. Good Shooting Chet Skinner, Coach and Instructor ********************************************************** Greetings, all. 1.) Thanks for all the advice on kneeling. I'm sure it will help. 2.) RE: > ******************************************************** > > up! I am having a problem with my offhand targets, i was wondering about > buying riser block for my sights. Would you recoment this since we both > shoot 2013's and if so should i put them on my FWB 602 aswell. > ******************************************************** Don't hesitate! Get those riser blocks. Next to my shooting lenses, it was the best money I ever spent. 3.) RE: Ammo Every manufacturer seems to make multiple grades of .22 ammo these days. Some keep it simple (i.e., CCI makes Mini-group and Green Tag) while others have more than I can keep track of (Eley makes Bench Rest Gold, Tenex, Match, Club, Standard, Practice 100, etc.). What is everybody using these days? Also, what grade is most appropriate for indoor work? It seems a shame to throw Tenex at an A-17 target, for example, but is it really necessary for the A-36 at 50 ft? Right now I'm using Laupua's (sp?) mid-grade ammo, in the bright yellow box. I have forgotten the brand name. Thanks again. Tom Neuser [Ed. note - Our team uses Eley Tenex, which I think is overkill for the NCAA but that's what the Army gives us so I don't complain. Very good stuff. I know Ohio State uses the Lapua. The best thing for you to do is bench test your gun and see what is the lowest grade you can use that gives results acceptable to you. You may even get as low as something like Winchester T22 so you can save quite a bit. 50 meters is a whole different ballgame though.] ******************************************************** End of UIT Mailing List #8 Michael Ray - Systems Engineer Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech. Rifle Coach The Olympic Shooting Page - http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/1190/